Personne de Confiance – Artifact of the past?

In times gone by, life long relationships were built on trust – from the family doctor to the personne de confiance. Today, its harder to know who you can trust and more so – if that person will be the sounding board and guide you need to help you resolve the sensitive issues so critical to your families well being.

The truth is, the figure that once came and went, who’s presence was felt by the next generation without the clearest understanding of relation or function, still exists – but that person now has a team of experts working with him to give the same global vision. So why is this one of the few times you should be comforted to be in the company of a generalist? Well, a generalist will certainly have an easier time wrapping his mind around the numerous issues and tasks facing a family. And things aren’t going to get any simpler.

A true personne de confiance is as concerned about your wealth as you are – and measures success by aligning expectations to your family’s interests. His conciliary function and success for the family are cardinal to his engagement with the family.

The personne de confiance works to understand your family’s wealth from every possible angle: Legal, Fiscal, Financial, Governance, Philanthropic, Structural, Multigenerational, Internal and External. He works to maintain proper communication within the family, facilitate meetings, deal with the past, the build for the future. He is at once Educator, Mentor and Protector.

For your privileged confidant the focus is not the family business but the business of family.